Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in pregnancy: a review of published experiences and clinical considerations.

Symptomatic biliary disease during pregnancy may have serious consequences for both the mother and the fetus. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was felt initially to be contraindicated in pregnancy, but clinical experience accumulated since 1991 has been extremely favorable. Specialists in the areas of anesthesiology, obstetrics and laparoscopic surgery should continue to carefully monitor and analyze practices and outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy during pregnancy. At the present time, there is no consensus regarding several management issues, such as optimal pressure limits for insufflation. Nevertheless, the reported results are quite encouraging and may foretell an improvement in patient care for this special population as dramatic as that achieved by laparoscopic cholecystectomy in others. Copyright 1998 W.B. Saunders Company.